Which is the Hottest Planet in the Solar System?
VerifiedAnswer: Venus
Explanation:
Venus holds the title of being the hottest planet in our solar system, with surface temperatures reaching a scorching 462°C (864°F). This might surprise you because Mercury is actually closer to the Sun! So why isn't Mercury the hottest? The answer lies in Venus's incredibly thick atmosphere and a phenomenon called the greenhouse effect.
Venus has an atmosphere that is about 100 times denser than Earth's atmosphere. This thick atmospheric blanket is composed mainly of carbon dioxide (about 96%) with clouds of sulfuric acid. When sunlight enters Venus's atmosphere, it gets trapped by these dense layers of gases. The heat cannot escape back into space, creating an extreme greenhouse effect that keeps the planet incredibly hot - even hotter than Mercury, which is much closer to the Sun.
Here are some fascinating facts that make Venus so incredibly hot:
• The atmospheric pressure on Venus is so intense that it would crush a human instantly - it's like being 900 meters underwater on Earth • Venus receives only about twice as much sunlight as Earth, but its greenhouse effect is so powerful that it maintains constant temperatures day and night • The planet's thick clouds reflect most of the Sun's light back into space, yet the small amount that does get through becomes trapped • Unlike other planets that cool down at night, Venus maintains the same scorching temperature around the clock
To put Venus's extreme heat in perspective, lead would melt on its surface! The temperature is so consistent and extreme that there are virtually no temperature variations between the equator and the poles, or between day and night. This makes Venus not just the hottest planet, but also one of the most uniformly hot places in our solar system.
Understanding Venus helps us learn about climate change and greenhouse effects. Scientists study Venus as an example of what can happen when greenhouse gases build up in a planet's atmosphere. While Earth's greenhouse effect is essential for life, Venus shows us how an extreme version can create conditions that are completely hostile to life as we know it.
